Her income plummeted from $18.43 an hour for full-time work at Express Scripts Pharmacy to $385 a week in unemployment compensation.

That helps, but it’s not enough for the basics for herself, her 10-year-old son and three grandchildren who live with her.

“I’m not eligible for food stamps because I make too much on my unemployment,” Stinson said while standing in line at a free food pantry in her Allison Hill neighborhood.

Stinson, 49, said she’s looked and looked for jobs. “I’ve never had this much time without a job. I guess it’s because of my age.”

She’s on a budget with her electric bill, and she gets help through the federally funded LIHEAP program for her gas bill.

“I’ve found there are so many organizations and agencies that you can go to, but without the knowledge, you’re like a fish without water,” she said. Still, it’s frustrating not finding work.

“I’m a Christian,” she said. “Thanks to him I’ve never been hungry. I’ve never been homeless. It’s just a struggle.”

She said she’s been able to shield the children from the hard situation.

“They come home and there is food on the table. The gas is on. They’re not homeless. Their not hungry. I brought them up pretty humble that they don’t get everything,” she said. The children understand people get things by working hard and being deserving.

Diane StinsonDiane Stinson of Harrisburg talks about unemployment and raising her grandchildren.